Two quick and simple tests carried out in hospital, at home, or in a community clinic by specially trained hearing screeners or health visitors.

Initially, a test called the Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) test is done and if your baby fails this test it may either be repeated or an Automated Auditory Brainstem Response (AABR) test will be carried out.

Some reasons your baby might fail the first test which don’t mean they have a permanent hearing loss are:

background noise during the test

your baby was unsettled

your baby has fluid or a temporary blockage in their ear.

All babies who have been in a Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) for 48 hours or longer, or where there is a known risk of them having a hearing loss, will have both tests done.

In the UK the newborn hearing screening service is expected to meet a set of quality standards that records how many babies are tested, how many are referred to audiology for further testing and how many babies are identified as deaf following screening.

The newborn hearing screening programmes in England and Wales also publish an annual report that can be downloaded from their websites.